Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-10
HARPER an rae STAND.
a sweeping Denial OF the Charges
thai see speeuiafcd in Grain.
C3y telegraph % tue Dispatch,


(By telegraph 20 the Dispatchl
CINCINNATI, December 9.-This proved
to he the great day IN the trial OF 4. J..
Harper. Until after court opened II was
not known whether Harper himself
would become n witness or not. Ii has
been said that his counsel protested
against his appearance on the witness
stand, and that he as firmly insisted that
his interests demanded that he should
tell his own story. This uncertainty
BROUGHT most unusual throng of spec
tators. Before I'D o'clock-the hour for
opening court-all the available space in
the courtroom was occupied. Even the
space behind the railing, sacred to the
officers of the court, was filed with
ladies and friends of the Court, among
whom were Hon. L. +. Noyes, ex United
States Minister TO France, aud Hon. L.
T. Powell, late Democratic candidate Tor
Governor Of Ohio At 1905 the crowd was
so great that an order was issuedto admit
DO more, not even attorneys, unless seats
should be vacated. Still the corridors
filed and the poor bailiif at the door
was worried beyond measure 10y appeals
TO be let into the crush. The parties APP
peared promptly and the impressive
opening of court, during which every
one stood until the closing words A" God
save the United States aud these hon
orable courts were delivered created a
hush upon the animated scene.
Harper appeared pale and anxious, his
wife weary, and her sister, Miss
Matthews, wore a face bearing traces OF
recent distress. It 1910 the question
was solved by Mr.. Blackburn calling Mr..
Harper to the witnes5-stand.
Before he took the oath Judge Jack
son asked: did YOU request TO be
placed on the vitness-stand?"
Yes, sir" was the answer.
The oath was then administered, and
in answer to questions 10y Mr. Blackburn
tine witness said he now resided in the
county jail. aud told OF his previous
| business career, ending with The Fidelity
/ National Bank. which ne said he organ
lied out Of the Fidelity fe-DePosit and
Trust Company.
Hesmilod when asked fhe knowJ. W.
/ Wiltshire, and went on to detail VIII
shire's connection with the Fidelity
/ National Bank. He said that in Sep
tember. 1856, he Was induced 10y VII
shire to make him "A loan Of 1000.
Mllshwe ~ that time was "A debtor to tho
bank to the amount of S2OO. 900. and he
represent, 4 10 Harper that If this loan
was not made the bank would suffer. He
accommodated him upon taking an
agreement to transfer certain real estate
aud also 100 shares OF Fidelity NATIONAL
Bank stock at par, then worth $50.
All went well until in October when
witness returned from a little dinner
party composed of Wiltshire and some
! officers of the bank, and found that du
ring his absence Wiltshire, Eckert q Co. 5
check for S2j,0 on the First National
Bank had been returned notgood. That
/ check Wiltshire said he was unable TO
make good, and We were compelled to
carry it. Another day when witness was
out Wiltshire, Eckert y Co. got Hopkins to
/ wire $780, 0O0credit to Chicago upon certi-
/ fed checks. Atthe close of business hours
/ that day he found Wiltshire, Eckert *
/ Co 3 account cyerdrawn $50. 900. With
the former $780, 600, their debt 10 the
| bank Of S200, coo, and their debt TO him
OF $50, COO, he felt that they were in a
dangerous position. Wiltshire transferred
10 him the real estate and the stock,
which he turned over to tho bank. He
stormed at Wiltshire, but could get no.
u thing out Of him. He then suggested to
the cashier TO take call loan from Will
shire, Eckert & Co.. and save the cashier.
In answer to direct questions from Mr..
Blackburn, Mr.. Harper stated unre-
servedly that he never gave on order OF
any kind to MIR. Eckert to buy grain for
him in Chicago, and he was equally
sweeping and explicit in saying that no
never authorized Mr.. Wiltshire 10 buy
grain for him in Chicago or elsewhere.
This is the point of the whole case, and
is in direct conflict with the testimony OF
both Mr. Wiltshire and Mr.. Eckert.
Mr. Blackburn then took up the ac-
counts Of the bank with the first Ma
tional Bank of New York aud the
Chemical National Bank Of New York,
where large balances were carried
and Mr.. Harper WAS called on 10 explain
all the transactions. He did so with
great minuteDoss. referring often to tile
books OF the bank. In general his ex.
cuse for the irregularities was that the
bank was putt trouble by the Wiltshire,
Eckert Il Co. debt, and he used whatever
methods he could 10 save the bank and
tide over afflirs. His testimony was moi
ended ut the noon adjournment.